The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has stated that the embattled Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, remains impeached.

Obaseki made this statement on Friday in reaction to a comment credited to Shaibu, warning Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to guard against attempts by political appointees to loot government properties.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki told Edo workers to disregard what he described as “infantile ramblings,” asserting that Shaibu remains impeached until the court’s determination and therefore lacks the power and authority to issue directives or warnings to any staff employed by the Edo State Government.

Recall that in July, the Federal High Court in Abuja voided the impeachment of Philip Shaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State.

Justice James Omotosho, while delivering judgment in the suit, ordered that Shaibu be reinstated to office because the Edo State House of Assembly failed to comply with due process in impeaching him.

On Tuesday, September 24, Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed two separate motions filed by the Edo State Government and the State House of Assembly against the reinstatement of Philip Shaibu as the Deputy Governor of the State.

The court also awarded a total cost of ₦400,000 against the Edo State Government and the State Assembly.

In response to Shaibu’s status as deputy governor, Obaseki insisted in the statement on Friday that, “Our attention has been drawn to the very ridiculous statement purportedly signed by the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, in which he warned Permanent Secretaries and Heads of MDAs to guard against the looting of government properties by political appointees.

“We want to restate that Philip Shaibu remains impeached as the Deputy Governor of Edo State until the court’s determination and therefore lacks the power and authority to issue directives or warnings to Permanent Secretaries, Heads of MDAs, or any staff employed by the Edo State Government.

“We urge all Edo workers to disregard the infantile ramblings of the impeached deputy governor and continue with their lawful duties without fear of intimidation or harassment while ensuring the delivery of quality and effective service to the people of Edo State.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has asked the national assembly to create a single six-year single tenure for anyone who becomes president of Nigeria.

Abubakar, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, said the presidency should be rotational among the six geo-political zones of the country.

In a memorandum to the senate ad hoc committee on the constitution review, Abubakar said he is proposing amendments to sections 130(1), 135(2), and 137(1)(b) of the constitution.

“Add paragraph ‘A’ to section 130(1) to read – ‘the office of the president shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of Six Years flowing between the North and South on the single term of Six Years respectively,” the former vice-president said.

“Amend Section 135(2) to read – ‘subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of Six Years commencing from the date.

“Amend Section 137(1)(b) to read – ‘he has been elected to such office before’.

“The implication of the above is that political parties are allowed a very wide latitude to breach the perimeter of laws on elections.

“Such indiscipline by political parties and infidelity to the electoral parameters yield chaos in the system.

“The above amendments will enthrone the discipline that is needed in a democracy.”

The former vice-president said his amendments are trying to address the “pitfalls” in the country’s electoral laws.

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south senatorial district, says corruption has remained endemic in Nigeria because politicians who steal money are celebrated for doing so.

The senator spoke on Sunday in Kano during an interactive session with journalists.

He added that in developed nations, people question the source of one’s wealth, but in Nigeria, you are venerated for flaunting ill-gotten wealth.

“Our major challenge in this country is corruption. Up till now, we have no law that can proactively or even reactively address the issue of corruption in the country,” he said.

“If you see somebody in our system, especially in politics or government, and he is not corrupt, then he is lucky that he is God-fearing.

“Otherwise, it is only in Nigeria that you steal money and you walk freely, and then you are celebrated.

“If you come into an area like this, people would start lobbying you and do ‘dobale’ (genuflecting) for you and he knows that the money was stolen.

“It is only in this country that somebody had no money yesterday or last week, but the following week he buys 10 cars, buys jets and his brothers would fly with him, his mother would fly with him, his uncle would fly with him, and they would say Allah has blessed our son.”

The senator said he has made several attempts to pass a law on unexplained wealth in Nigeria, but that his efforts “never saw the light of the day”.

He said he even approached a former head of state for help to no avail.

“Up till now, there is no law on Unexplained Wealth Act in Nigeria and there is no Executive Order on Unexplained Wealth in Nigeria,” Ndume added.

He also bemoaned the pervasive hunger in the country, while calling for an increase in crop cultivation to fix the problem.

“There is hunger in the land and up till now we have not cultivated up to five per cent of our land… blessed land in Nigeria,” the senator said.